Animal comb



May 2, 1939 G. A. wlKANDl-:R 2,156,416

ANIMAL COME Filed May 9, 1938 Patented May 2, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

purpose of catching the insects disturbed or collected in the combing of the animals fur, butv these devices for the most part are cumbersome, complicated, impractical, or diicult to manipulate.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple efficient insect catcher attached to an animal comb which will permit the comb to be used in the ordinary manner, but which will automatically hold the insects collected on the comb, when the comb is removed from contact with the skin of the animal, thereby permitting the comb to be dipped into water or other suitable liquid solution for removing and destroying the insects collected.

The manner in which I accomplish my object and the construction and operation of the means which I employ for this purpose in combination with an animal comb will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a corresponding end elevation;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an end elevation showing my invention in an operative position during the actual combing of the fur of the animal.

The comb, which is indicated by B, comprises the usual handle portion Iii and teeth I I. Animal combs of this type are preferably made entirely of metal and the metal teeth are rounded at the ends so as not to pierce or scratch the animals skin.

In the preferred form of my invention illustrated, the insect trapping or holding means, designated as a whole by A, is attached to an ordinary comb of the type described and extends over approximately one half of the length of the comb, leaving a substantial portion of the comb handle It] free to serve as a convenient grip for the hand of the operator.

The attachment A is made in the form of a hinge, comprising hinge leaves I2 and I3 coupled together by a hinge pin I4. vThe leaf I2 of the hinge is secured by any suitable means, such as screws, to a fill plate I5 which in turn is securely attached to the handle Ill of the comb. The inner edge of the plate I5 is'in alinement with the corresponding edge of the comb handle Ill, and the hinge leaf I2 is so positioned that the axis of the hinge pin I4 will lie directly above the alined edges of the plate I5 and handle i0.

The trapping member I6 is secured to the other leaf of the hinge by any suitable means such as screws. This trapping member comprises a iiat plate having a shallow wedge-shaped ridge I9 on the under side at each lateral edge, and a portion I8 in front extending beyond the ends of the teeth II of the comb, which portion I5 is notched to provide a series of equally-spaced tines or prongs 20 which are curved. downwardly and then inwardly in reverse curve as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. The tips of the prongs 2li, when the trapping member I6 is in contact with the teeth Il of the comb, will lie some distance below the teeth II and will be parallel thereto, but when the trapping member I6 is in a raised position, as shown in Fig. 4, the tips of the prongs 2li will clear the tips of the teeth II.

A spring II, carried on the hinge pin It, and having its ends bearing on the hinge leaves I2 and I3, as shown in Fig. 1, normally holds the trapping member I6 in closed position bearing on the tips of teeth II and with the end ridges I9 o having full bearing on the adjacent teeth. It is important that in thisv closed position the inner edge 22 of the trapping member should be in abutment with the adjacent edges of the plat-e I5 and the comb handle Ill. In this closed position 9 there will be a slight wedge-shaped space between u the under side of the platey of the trapping member I6, lying between the ridges I9, and the teeth Il. A curved arm 2l is attached to the hinge leaf I3 so that downward pressure on the free end of this arm 2l will cause the trapping member I6 to open.

In operation, the comb B is held at a slight angle to the skin of the animal and is moved forward, that is in the direction indicated by the arrow 23 in Fig. 4, with the ends of teeth I I sliding along the animals skin through the fur. The bottoms of the curved prongs 2Q are also slid along the anmals skin ahead of the teeth II, pressing lightly on the skin and holding the trapping member I in the open position as shown in Fig. 4. The teeth of the comb, in passing through the hair or fur, comb the insects therefrom, and these collect on the surface of the teeth, some of them being shoved up against the edge of the comb handle l0 and plate I5. The instant the comb is lifted from contact with the animals skin the spring I7 forces the trapping member into closed position. The insects which have been shoved against plate l5 and handle I0 will be crushed by the edge 22 and the rest of the insects collected on the teeth Il under the trapping member will be held against escape since the plate of the trapping member abuts the tips of the teeth Il and the ridges I9 close the ends.

When the comb is lifted from the body of the animal it is immersed in water, or preferably in some exterminating liquid. Pressure of the operators nger on the arm 2| is then exerted to move the trapping member into open posi tion releasing the insects and causing them to be removed from the comb by the liquid. This operation is repeated until the combing of the animal is completed.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a comb, an insect trapping member hingedly attached to said comb, said member normally resting on said comb and having a downwardly curved finger portion extending beyond and normally below the teeth of said comb, said iinger portion serving to raise said member above said teeth when said comb is pressed against the skin of an animal, and means for causing said member to return to normal position when said comb is lifted from the skin of the animal.

2. A device of the character described comprising a comb having a handle and teeth, an insect trapping member hinged to said comb i handle, said member normally resting on the teeth oi said comb, and having downwardly extending prongs extending beyond and normally below said teeth, said prongs serving to raise said member into open position when said comb is pressed against the skin of an animal, and spring means for causing said member to return to closed position when said comb is lifted from the skin of the animal, thereby holding insects collected between said member and said teeth.

3. In a device of the character described, a comb, an insect trapping member hingedly attached to said comb, said member having downwardly and inwardly curved prongs extending beyond and normally below the teeth of said comb, said prongs serving to raise said member into open position when said comb is being used, and means for causing said member to return to closed position when said comb is not being used.

4. In combination with a comb designed for the combing of animals, an insect trapping meinber hingedly attached to said comb, said member normally resting on said comb and having a downwardly curved slotted portion extending beyond and normally below the teeth of said comb, said slotted portion serving to raise said member into open position when said comb is pressed against the skin of an animal, and means for causing said member to return to closed position when said comb is lifted from the skin of the animal.

5. In combination with a Comb designed for the combing of animals, an insect trapping member hinged to said comb handle, said member normally resting on the teeth of said comb and having downwardly and inwardly curved prongs extending beyond and normally below said teeth, said prongs serving to raise said member above said teeth when said comb is pressed against the skin of an animal, and means for causing said member to return to normal position when said comb is lifted from the skin of the animal, thereby holding insects collected between said member and said teeth.

6. In combination with a comb designed for the combing of animals, an insect trapping member hinged to said comb handle, said member having a flat portion adapted normally to rest on the teeth of said comb and having downwardly extending prongs extending beyond and normally below said teeth, said prongs serving to raise said member above said teeth when said comb is being used, and means for causing said member to return to normal position when said comb is not being used,

7. In a device of the character described, a comb having a handle and teeth, an insect trapping member hinged to Said comb handle, said member having a flat portion with an underlying ridge at each end adapted normally to rest on the teeth of said comb and downwardly and inwardly curved prongs extending beyond and normally below said teeth, said prongs serving to raise said member above said teeth when said comb is pressed against the skin of an animal, and spring means for causing said member to return to normal closed position when said comb is removed from contact with the animal, thereby holding insects collected between said member and said teeth.

8. 'Ihe combination described by claim '7 including an arm for raising said member into open position when it is desired to remove entrapped insects from said device.

GUSTAVUS A. WIKANDER. 

